Quiz question: What math subject is used in many lines of work and our personal lives, but often gets short shrift in the classroom? Answer: Measurement! From the doctor's office to the grocery store to a construction site, measurement and its close cousin estimation are hugely practical aspects of math.
These topics can be addressed early and often in the classroom! Often young children begin by learning about nonstandard units of measure. They can practice their "end-to-end" techniques - these will come in handy as they begin work with rulers and measuring tapes later in their school careers. The vocabulary necessary for future measurement lessons is important to address early on. And other important lessons in measurement include the choice and use of appropriate tools. After all, we don't want our children measuring a 5K route with a ruler!
Measurement and estimation often don't feature as prominently in our classrooms as they do in our lives. So give it a try - cooking, <a href="http://mathlessons.about.com/od/fourthgradelessons/a/Lesson-Plan-Area-And-Perimeter.htm"building, or shopping - whatever sounds good to your students!